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Weill Cornell Autism Research Program (WCARP)

The Weill Cornell Autism Research Program (WCARP) is a multi-institutional collaborative effort committed to advancing our knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Our mission is to gain a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of ASD, and to support development of new diagnostic markers and treatments for patients with autism.

Research Highlights

Anjali Rajadhyaksha. Ph.D.

A study published in Nature Digital Medicine conducted by investigators, Rebecca Jones, PhD, M Phil, assistant professor of psychiatry, and Catherine Lord, PhD, professor of psychiatry and Director, Center for the Developing Brain, demonstrates the reliable use of smartphones to collect behavioral data in children with autism. Link to article

A study in Neuron led by postdoctoral fellow Joanna Giza, PhD and Francis Lee, PhD,professor of psychiatry and Chair of Psychiatry, identifies impact of a human variant in the BDNF gene, critically involved in brain development and plasticity, on aberrant synapse elimination and neuronal development. Link to article

A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience identifies a new molecular pathway linked to the intellectual disability gene, cereblon (CRBN). A mutation in CRBN causes intellectual disability in children. The study involved generating a mouse model that recapitulated the learning and memory deficits seen in humans. The work was led by graduate student, Charlotte Bavley and Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha, PhD, Director of the Weill Cornell Autism Research Program (WCARP). Link to article

A study published in PLOS ONE and highlighted in Science Translational Medicine demonstrates that administration of the antibiotic, D-cycloserine can alleviate breathing abnormalities and increase survival rate in a mouse model of the neurodevelopmental disorder, Rett syndrome. The study was led by investigator, Andrew A. Pieper, MD., PhD in collaboration with Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha, PhD. Link to article

A study in Molecular Psychiatry reports social behavioral impairments and anxiety in an animal model of one of the most important genes in psychiatric illness. Postdoctoral fellow, Zeeba Kabir, PhD and Anjali Rajadhyaksha, PhDdiscover a novel molecular and neural mechanism that they target using a small molecule to alleviate social deficits and anxiety. Link to article

A study in Nature Medicine led by Conor Liston, MD, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, uses functional MRI scans from patients suffering from depression to isolate distinct subtypes of depression that can better guide treatment. Link to article